Second Stove for Home - Too large?

[Pennsyltucky]

I have a house that's about 3,000sqft and spans 3 floors. Current heating with a Hearthstone 2020 Heritage 8024 since last year. The Heritage has been perfect, heating my home well and cutting my oil bill by 2/3. The only issue is that my home is rectangular and the far side of the house of course gets almost no heat, I'm considering installing a second stove on the far end as it would be minimal work.

Any input or experience on putting a second stove in? I'm looking at a Jotul F500 V3 Oslo for the second stove but worried that it's going to be massive overkill with the heritage doing doing a solid job already. I could look at a small stove but I don't want to have to cut all my wood to different lengths, everything is 20" now so going to a 16" smaller second stove means I'm cutting & splitting all 16" or less logs or having multiple sized wood piles.

This is going to be a dead of winter cold nights stove that I'm not going to run all the time unlike the heritage which I keep running from Nov - March only letting in burn out to clean & empty.

 

[kennyp2339]

Can always crack a window if it gets to hot

 

[EbS-P]

F500 V3 would not be my choice. I’d probably go for a Blaze king if I was looking for a top of the line second stove. 12 or 24 hour reloads. My secondary stove I just installed is really oversized. Have not lit it yet to see just how much. I Really don’t expect to save much money on my second stove.

 

[Dix]

You can always build a smaller fire in a bigger box, but not a bigger fire in a small box.

I installed the PE in '08, and the 13 in '10. Best decision I ever made, almost. The 13 gets a max of 5-7 hours of heat output, while the PE gives 10. If I had to do it over, I'd have gone with a bigger box for stove #2.

 

[Highbeam]

I would want my second stove to be able to take over for primary stove duty if the first stove is out of commission. In other words, each stove should be able to do the job independently or to loaf along as half of a two stove team. A properly designed stove has enough range of output levels to be able to accomplish this.

 

[tabner]

The Morso 2B is a small stove, says 18” recommended lengths. You could double check with someone who has one, but I’m guessing 20” will fit. Then cut wood at 18” or 19” in future.

 

[begreen]

I would want my second stove to be able to take over for primary stove duty if the first stove is out of commission. In other words, each stove should be able to do the job independently or to loaf along as half of a two stove team. A properly designed stove has enough range of output levels to be able to accomplish this.

That's sometimes not possible depending on the house design. In some cases, it's more about heat transfer than stove sizing. Some large single-story rambling houses are connected with a hallway that won't convect heat well. Other houses may have a wing addition.

@Pennsyltucky how large is the second area that you want to heat? Is it single floor or 2 story? If you are looking for a radiant cast iron stove about the size of the F500, look at the Hearthstone Shelburne.

 

[Pennsyltucky]

That's sometimes not possible depending on the house design. In some cases, it's more about heat transfer than stove sizing. Some large single-story rambling houses are connected with a hallway that won't convect heat well. Other houses may have a wing addition.

@Pennsyltucky how large is the second area that you want to heat? Is it single floor or 2 story? If you are looking for a radiant cast iron stove about the size of the F500, look at the Hearthstone Shelburne.

The second stove would be opposite end of the primary stove in a 15'x14' 2 story vaulted room, It's built as if it were it's own structure with an opening into the kitchen. Fortunately the second stove room has 4 double-bay returns in it for the forced air system and I think it would move the heat well. My air system has been very effective moving the heritage's heat around the house quickly and there's only 1 return in that stove's room. The house is tall not wide, since the 'attic' is fully finished living space with 8' ceilings.

Photo below, the close chimney would be the new stove (double-wall insulated liner) and the taller far chimney has the Heritage connected.

 

[stoveliker]

Regarding putting a BK in as a secondary stove : While BKs do have a nice turn down so that you are not likely to overheat, they are most suitable for continuous burning. If this stove is on and off at coldest times, then another stove one might be more suitable.

On the other hand, the large turn down might allow you to run it continuously. You'd have to tend to two stoves - but the BK can run long times on its own. Especially when running low (see overheating concern).

So the big question (for BK yes or no) is whether you really are going to have this new one burning occasionally, or whether you'd be ok with another continuous stove in your home.

 

[Pennsyltucky]

Regarding putting a BK in as a secondary stove : While BKs do have a nice turn down so that you are not likely to overheat, they are most suitable for continuous burning. If this stove is on and off at coldest times, then another stove one might be more suitable.

On the other hand, the large turn down might allow you to run it continuously. You'd have to tend to two stoves - but the BK can run long times on its own. Especially when running low (see overheating concern).

So the big question (for BK yes or no) is whether you really are going to have this new one burning occasionally, or whether you'd be ok with another continuous stove in your home.

It wouldn't be continuous, I work business hours and refill in the AM and get things going them damp down for my wife to manage throughout the day until I'm home. I know she's not going to want to tend 2 stoves all day. The Heritage requires more attention than a cast or steel stove so I have her paying attention and tending closely to prevent over-firing the stove. It's never been an issue but adding another stove to tend is already going to get me some side-eye.

 

[stoveliker]

But running a BK on low gets you up to 24-30 hrs without tending. Higher I still get 12 hrs. Due to the Tstat, the output will be even during those burn times. So the wife won't have to deal with it. Really set it and forget it.

What I meant was longer term burning: day on, day off is not the best way to run these. If you'd be burning instead in weekly runs, it's ideal imo.

Overfiring is not a big danger either because of the Tstat. It closes of air if the stove gets hotter and opens when it gets colder. Hence the even output and less overfire danger.

 

[EbS-P]

and refill in the AM and get things going them damp down

So the wife won't have to deal with it. Really set it and forget it.

This is the only reason I would need to choose Bk for second stove. I really wanted one for my second stove but with a heat pump low and slow is already covered.

Now if I know my wife I’d come home and that t stat would not be where it was when I left. And my reload schedule would be all messed up. But she would be warm and happy.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like a number of mid-sized stoves would work. Could be another Heritage, a Shelburne, Alderlea T5, BK Ashford, etc.

 

[Pennsyltucky]

But running a BK on low gets you up to 24-30 hrs without tending. Higher I still get 12 hrs. Due to the Tstat, the output will be even during those burn times. So the wife won't have to deal with it. Really set it and forget it.

What I meant was longer term burning: day on, day off is not the best way to run these. If you'd be burning instead in weekly runs, it's ideal imo.

Overfiring is not a big danger either because of the Tstat. It closes of air if the stove gets hotter and opens when it gets colder. Hence the even output and less overfire danger.

Any of the blaze kings rear exit? Similar to my heritage this is going in front of a solid masonry fireplace (see photo above). This one is a brick chimney with field stone on it, I'd line the chimney of course, it's 12x12 terracotta so very easy to run a liner up.

 

[begreen]

No, they are all top vent. Hearthstone and Woodstock stoves rear vent.

 

[EbS-P]

Any of the blaze kings rear exit? Similar to my heritage this is going in front of a solid masonry fireplace (see photo above). This one is a brick chimney with field stone on it, I'd line the chimney of course, it's 12x12 terracotta so very easy to run a liner up.

No but Princess insert sticks out a good bit.

 

[stoveliker]

Any of the blaze kings rear exit? Similar to my heritage this is going in front of a solid masonry fireplace (see photo above). This one is a brick chimney with field stone on it, I'd line the chimney of course, it's 12x12 terracotta so very easy to run a liner up.

That's pointing to one of begreens suggestions. BKs want 2-3' up before they go horizontal thru a thimble.

 

[Pennsyltucky]

No but Princess insert sticks out a good bit.

Princess insert might be an option, I have some height restrictions due to the lintel and need to be under 28.75 which means right now unless I go insert the only free-standing option is the Jotul F45 or F500 with short leg kit unless there's others I don't know about under 28.75.

 

[gthomas785]

I run 2 stoves, it's fine, but it is twice as much work and sometimes we have a hard time figuring out which room to sit in.

 

[Pennsyltucky]

I run 2 stoves, it's fine, but it is twice as much work and sometimes we have a hard time figuring out which room to sit in.

Hahaha, what a problem to have.

 

[Pennsyltucky]

Can always crack a window if it gets to hot

It would be pretty nice to have a 60K BTU & 70K BTU in the same house, that is some serious BTU potential...

 

[EbS-P]

Princess insert might be an option, I have some height restrictions due to the lintel and need to be under 28.75 which means right now unless I go insert the only free-standing option is the Jotul F45 or F500 with short leg kit unless there's others I don't know about under 28.75.

Check out Woodstock I think they have short legs for some models.

 

[begreen]

Check out Woodstock I think they have short legs for some models.

Yes. The Progress Hybrid with short legs would clear that lintel. However, it might be March 2022 before the stove is delivered.

 

[Pennsyltucky]

Yes. The Progress Hybrid with short legs would clear that lintel. However, it might be March 2022 before the stove is delivered.

I can get a Jotul within 4-5 weeks. Can you provide some insight into why the F45, F500, and F55 are all so similar in dimension but with varying fire box size and BTU potential? Since these stoves all fit with short leg kits I'm torn on which to choose? My Heritage takes 21" logs so the F500 would be nice as all my splits would fit but the F45 being non-cat is a plus and the F55s huge BTU output potential is a plus as well...

 

[EbS-P]

I don’t like how the f45 and f55 back has to be removed to clean flue if connected to top vent. Just observations no real experience. If jotul would say it’s ok to run with out top bolted down is a no. Issue. Probably a non issue rear vent to a T.

F500 has a cat had some issues waiting to see if they fixed them (hopefully but I personally wouldn’t gamble on it yet)

Get the optional blower. They really help hearth mounted stoves.

I really love my jotul and all 3 get a solid ehhhh…. From me.